All Paws on Deck
Before buying a golden retriever, I was well aware of that breed’s propensity to fetch tennis balls. My dog’s obsession with a fuzzy Wilson or Dunlop knows no bounds. A few months ago I began taking her for walks to the beach and she could spend hours running after the ball as it trailed along the sand. Once by accident I pitched the ball into the lake, and Daisy tore over the waves completely undaunted.
That incident gave me an idea: Maybe Daisy would like to accompany my family and me on a sailing trip. We planned to set sail for a small island about a mile offshore from our home. I took control of the boat and my wife outfitted Daisy in a specialized dog life jacket. Sure enough, she took to the sailing life like a dog to a tennis ball. We’ve been embarking on short sailing trips together ever since.